Utah HB 76 data center water transparency (2026)

Utah — HB 76, Data Center Water Transparency Amendments: Pre-Construction Water Plans and Annual Reporting Above 75 Acre-Feet (Signed March 23, 2026)
Utah · Utah H.B. 76 (2026 Gen. Sess.) (Data Center Water Transparency Amendments)

Status
In effect
Took effect
March 23, 2026
Applies to
Data centers in Utah of at least 10,000 sq ft using network servers and withdrawing 75+ acre-feet annually, both before construction and annually thereafter.
Enforced by
Utah Division of Water Rights / Utah Department of Natural Resources

Utah's Data Center Water Transparency Amendments, House Bill 76, were signed on March 23, 2026. The law works at two moments. Before construction, a large data center must submit its projected water use along with plans for discharge, treatment and water reuse — so the question is answered while the project can still be changed, not after it is built. Then, once operating, any data center withdrawing 75 acre-feet of water or more a year must report annually on its water use and conservation efforts, including where the water comes from, what it is used for, and water quality. A facility counts as a large data center if it is at least 10,000 square feet, uses network servers, and withdraws 75 acre-feet annually. The results go online. Individual figures are anonymised, but totals are aggregated and released publicly — a compromise that gives the public a real number for the state's data center water draw while withholding facility-level detail. Utah's law is traceable to a specific piece of research: a paper on data center water consumption is credited with prompting the legislation.

Who is protected: Utah water users and the public, through mandatory pre-construction water planning by large data centers, annual use and conservation reporting above 75 acre-feet, and public release of aggregated statewide totals.

Legal detail

Utah House Bill 76 (2026 General Session), Data Center Water Transparency Amendments, signed March 23, 2026; third substitute (Cherry) enacted. COVERED FACILITY: at least 10,000 square feet, using network servers, withdrawing 75 acre-feet of water or more annually. TWO OBLIGATIONS: (1) pre-construction submission of projected water use together with discharge, treatment and water reuse plans — a front-loaded disclosure that attaches before the design is fixed; (2) annual reporting by covered facilities of water use and conservation efforts, including water sources, intended uses, conservation measures and water quality. PUBLICATION REGIME: information is published online, with individual facility data anonymised and totals aggregated for public release — preserving a public aggregate figure while withholding facility-level identification. Design contrast worth noting: Oklahoma's SB 259 (Groundwater Modernization Act, eff. 2026-11-01) pairs annual reporting with investigation and penalty authority, whereas Utah HB 76 pairs reporting with pre-construction planning disclosure and public aggregation — transparency-forward rather than enforcement-forward. Legislative provenance: coverage credits an academic paper on data center water consumption with prompting the bill. Enrolled text at le.utah.gov/Session/2026/bills/enrolled/HB0076.pdf.

Key facts

JurisdictionUtah
LevelState
StrengthModerate
EnactedMarch 23, 2026
CitationUtah H.B. 76 (2026 Gen. Sess.) (Data Center Water Transparency Amendments)
Private right of actionNo, agency enforcement only
PenaltiesNot established from available coverage
Topicsdata-center siting and energy · AI disclosure and transparency · government use of AI
StatuteHB 76 Data Center Water Transparency Amendments — Utah Legislature

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